Taarak Mehta...'s 'Atmaram Bhide' talks about working with Dilip Joshi

Mandar Chandwadkar and Dilip Joshi. Picture courtesy/SAB TV's Instagram account

With the Television show shoots about the start with restrictions being lifted gradually across the state from the lockdown, which was imposed to curb the Coronavirus pandemic. One of the few shows, that have been popular among the viewers even with reruns being telecast is Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The show went on air on July 28, 2008. The show is based on the column Duniya Ne Undha Chashma written by columnist and journalist/playwright Taarak Mehta for the Gujarati weekly magazine Chitralekha.

SAB TV's Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashamah is one of the longest-running show on television in recent times. In a throwback interview with ETimes TV, Mandar Chandwadkar aka Mr Atmaram Bhide talks about how him along with Dilip Joshi and Shailesh Lodha, who play Jethalal and Taarak Mehta respectively, spend a lot of time together on sets and are often spotted in each other makeup room chatting.

Mandar said, "We have always made it a point since the beginning to be together. We have developed this habit over the years. Like Dilip bhai and Sailesh bhai share a makeup van and the other side has Shyam, Amit bhai and me, so always open the middle door. We always wanted to be together. We enjoy being together and chatting with each other which gives birth to a lot of discussion. We are often spotted in each other's makeup rooms."

He further talked about how Dilip Joshi's improvisation in scenes. "Whatever fighting scenes we have between Jethalal and Bhide most of the improvisation happens from Dilip Bhai's side. The credit should go to him. He is the one who suggests ideas and enhances the scenes. And I believe that can only happen when an actor is mischievous in real life and that he is. He looks very 'seedha' but he is very mischievous," he added.

Photos: Journey to fame! Neha Mehta aka Anjali Bhabhi from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's life in photos

Ghanashyam Nayak with other cast members in a still from the show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.

Ghanashyam Nayak, who plays Natu Kaka, in the same interview talked about how Dilip Joshi never made even one feel like he is the hero of the show. The veteran actor said, "Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is a show that is watched by all age groups. This is only a sitcom which has clean comedy and no below the belt jokes. We give the audience entertainment with social messages. We are like a family on the sets, we are together always. Like Dilip Joshi ji, he has never made us feel like he is the hero of the show. All the actors are amazing. We stay as a big family together and I think it is a big achievement."

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is one of the most popular sitcoms which airs every Monday to Friday at 8:30 pm on SAB TV.

Also read: When will Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's shooting resume? Munmun Dutta aka Babita Ji spills the beans

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